Rock drilling apparatus



Julie 30, 1942.

J. C. CURTIS ET AL ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS Filed June 25, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1942 J. c. cum-1s ET AL ROCK DRILLING APPARATUSFiled June 25, 194Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Iune 30, 1942 RO CKDRILLING APPARATUS John C. Curtis and Elmer G. Gartin, Claremont,

N. H., assgnors to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application June 25, 1940, serial No. 342,326

17 Claims.

This invention relates to rock drilling apparatus, and more particularlyto improvements in the supporting, guiding and feeding means for ahammer rock drill of the mounted drifter type.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved rock drillingapparatus. It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedsupporting and guiding means for a rock drill of the mounted driftertype. It is still another object of this invention to provide animproved rock drill supporting and guiding structure having improvedmeans for adjusting the position of the rock drill relative to the work.Still another object of this invention is to provide an improvedsupporting and guiding structure for a rock drill adapted for adjustmentto support the drill in various positions for guided movement relativeto its work, and having associated therewith a feeding means arranged inan improved manner to provide a compact structure. Other objects andadvantages will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, in which, for purposes of illustration,one embodiment which the invention may assume in practice has beenshown,

Fig. l is a plan view of a rock drilling apparatus in which theillustrative form of the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View, with parts broken away, of the rockdrill shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view ci the rock drill supporting andguiding structure taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the supporting and guidingstructure taken substantially on the planes of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 5--5 ofFig. 2, showing the rock drill in the position of Fig. 2 in full linesand in a different position in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, takensubstantially on the planes of the line l-'I of Fig. 2.

In the present illustrative disclosure of the invention there is shown arock drilling apparatus generally comprising a drill hammer motor I`mounted upon an improved supporting and guiding means 2.

The hammer motor I is of a conventional design and comprises a motorcylinder 3 having a bore 4 within which a hammer piston 5 reciprocatesto deliver impact blows to the shank of a drill steel 6 suitablysupported in a front chuck housing l. A rear head 8 has connectedthereto a supply connection 9 for supplying pressure fluid to the boreof the motor cylinder. Depending from each side of the motor cylinderand herein shown as formed integral therewith are bosslike projectionsII having alined openings ior receiving sleeve-shaped members I2, saidsleeveshaped members being held in any suitable manner in nxed positionrelative to the motor and arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe latter.

Referring to the improved Supporting and guiding means, it will be notedthat'there is provided a base element, herein in the form of a swivelplate I4 adapted for mounting in the clamp of a conventional saddlemounting, and formed integral with the swivel plate and herein with itsaxis perpendicular to the axis of the swivel plate is a sleeve portionI5. One end of the sleeve portion is split and is provided withlaterally projecting portions Il having openings for receiving aclamping bolt I8 provided with a suitable operating handle, as shown inFig. 6. A tube I9 has a sliding fit in the sleeve portion I5, and isrotatable in the latter when the clamp is released, and maybe clamped inany desired position by tightening the clamping bolt I8. Arranged at theends of the tube I9 are blocks 20 and 2I having openings 22 through themfor receiving the ends of the tube, and the blocks are split below theopenings and provided with projecting portions having clamping bolts 23.Formed at the upper ends of the blocks are projecting portions 24 and 25having openings for receiving reduced threaded ends 2B of guide rods 2l.The guide rods extend through the sleeves I2 to support the motor forrectilinear movement and have nuts 29 threaded upon their ends forholding them securely in the blocks 20 and 2l.

Associated with the supporting and guiding means is an automatic feedingmechanism comprising a feed control chain 32 of the conventional blocktype, guided by vertical guide rolls 33 and 34 arranged for rotationwithin housings 36 and 3l Aformed integral with and extending from theouter sides of the blocks 20 and 2|. The cylinder of the drill hammermotor has a depending lug 39 projecting downwardly between the guiderods 21 and has fastened thereto the ends of the chain 32. The chainextends from the depending lug horizontally between the guide rods 21and passes through openings 40 and 4I in the blocks 20 and 2|, passesaround the guide rolls 33 and 34 and then through the tube I9. The guideroll 34 is journaled, as shown in Fig. 4, on a horizontal shaft d3extending through slots 44 formed in the side walls of the housing 31and carried by an adjustable member e5. A bolt 43 projects through athreaded opening in the member 45 and presses against the outer end ofthe housing 31 for adjusting the member 45 and the guide roll 34longitudinally of the supporting means, thereby varying the tightness ofthe control chain. The guide roll 33 plays a chain movement controllingas well as a guiding function, and is in the form of a chain sprocket,and is xed to a shaft d8 journaled at one end in a bearing i9 carried bya side wall of the housing 36 and journaled at its other end in a feedcontrol means, generally designated 5B, arranged within the housing. Thefeed control means, which is of the type adapted to utilize thelongitudinal jumping of the motor to effect feed, comprises a manuallycontrolled ratchet and pawl mechanism for controlling the rotation ofthe sprocket wheel 33. This control means is of a type well known tothose skilled in the art, and the specific details of its constructionform no part of the present invention. Detailed description of thecontrol means structure is therefore considered unnecessary; and it willsumce to state that under a control of the handle 5I the mechanism E canloe caused at will to preclude circulation of the control chain ineither direction while allowing it to move in the other, thus enablingthe jump of the hammer motor to effect step by step feed in eitherdirection, and the motor may also b-e locked against movement in bothdirections.

The mode of operation will be clearly understood from the descriptiongiven. The swivel plate I4 of the drill is clamped in its saddlemounting and the clamping bolt I8 is released so that the tube I9 of thesupporting structure may be moved longitudinally through the sleeve I5or partially rotated within it to adjust the drill in the desiredposition for drilling. The bolt I8 is then tightened to lock thesupporting and guiding frame in a stationary position, and pressurefluid is supplied to the motor cylinder to effect reciprocation of thehammer piston.

VSudden reversals in the direction of movement of the hammer pistoncause alternating tendencies of movement of the drill motor forwardlyand rearwardly along the guide rods 21 with respect to the supportingstructure. The tendencies of movement are transmitted by the lug 39 tothe feed control chain 32 and, if the feed control means 50 is adjustedto permit rotation of the chain sprocket 33 only in a clockwisedirection, on each reversal from a forward to a rearward stroke of themotor piston the drill motor will move a short distance toward the work,but will be held by the chain and sprocket against movement in arearward direction. To move the drill motor rearwardly Von its guiderods the feed control means 50 is adjusted to permit rotation of thechain sprocket 33 only in a counterclockwise direction. To vary thetension on the feed control chain the position of the forward guide roll34 is adjusted by turning the bolt i6 and thereby effectingY orpermitting, depending on the adjustment of the bolt, movement of theguide roll supporting member 45 longitudinally of the guide frame. Whenthe limit of automatic feed is reached, the clamp I1 may be released topermit endwiseV movement of the guide Vstructure into a new feedingposi- 75 means including a tubular shaped member hav..

tion relative to the swivel plate sleeve I5, and the guide structure maythereafter be firmly clamped in position. To facilitate changing ofdrill steels the clamp may be released to permit swinging of the hammermotor about the longitudinal axis of the tube I9 laterally relative tothe drill hole in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, sothat the drill steel may be withdrawn from the hole along the side ofthe motor. The steel shank is of course withdrawn from the drill motorchuck by retraction of the motor along the guide rods prior to suchlateral swinging of the motor.

As a result of this invention it will be noted that an improved rockdrilling apparatus of the mounted drifter type has been provided. Itwill further be noted that there has been provided an improvedsupporting and guiding means for a rock drill hammer motor adapted topermit adjustment of the motor angularly about an axis parallel to andspaced from the axis of the motor, and adapted to permit adjustment ofguiding means longitudinally of the longitudinal motor axis. It willfurther be noted that there has been provided a feed control means for adrill motor associated with the supporting and guiding means in animproved manner to provide a compact drilling mechanism. It will stillfurther be evident. that by thelprovision of the improved mountingstructure for the guiding means the drill hammer motor may be swunglaterally relative to the drill hole to facilitate changing of drillsteels, in an improved manner. Other uses and advantages of the present1mproved supporting and guiding means will be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that 4o thisform of thev same isV shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor of thereciprocating hammer piston type in which longitudinal vibratorymovements 1n opposite directions occur during running of the motor,guide members along which said drill motor is movable, means forsupporting said guide members for rectilinear adjustment in a dlrectionlongitudinally of said drill motor and for angular adjustment about anaxis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of said drillmotor, and means controlled by said longitudinal vibratorsr movements 0fsaid drill motor for effecting feed of the motor along said guidemembers, said feed effecting means including a flexible control elementconnected to said drill motor and guided for circulation with a portionof its length lying in the axis about which said guide members areangularly adjustable.

2. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor of thereciprocating hammer piston type in which longitudinal vibratorymovements in opposite directions occur during running of the motor,guide members along Vwhich said drill motor is movable, means forsupporting said guide members for rectilinear adjustment in a directionlongitudinally of said drill motor and for angular adjustment about anaxis parallel to said guide members, said supporting ing its axis in thesame straight line with the axis about which said guide members areangularly adjustable, and means controlled by said longitudinalvibratory movements of said drill motor for effecting feed of the motoralong said guide members, said feed effecting means including a flexiblecontrol element connected to said drill motor and guided for circulationWith a portion of its length extending through said tubular shapedmember.

3. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor of thereciprocating hammer piston type in which longitudinal vibratorymovements in Opposite directions occur during running of the motor,guide members along which said drill motor is movable, means forsupporting said guide members for rectilinear adjustment in a directionlongitudinally of said drill motor and for angular adjustment about anaxis parallel to and spaced from said guide members, said supportingmeans including blocks attached to the ends of said guide members and atubular shaped member extending into openings in said blocks and havingits axis in the same straight line with the axis about which said guidemembers are angularly adjusted, and means controlled by saidlongitudinal vibratory movements of said drill motor for effecting feedof the motor along said guide members, said feed effecting meanscomprising rotary guide elements journaled on said blocks for rotationabout transverse axes and a flexible control element connected to saiddrill motor and passing around said rotary guide elements and throughsaid tubular shaped member.

4. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor of thereciprocating hammer piston type in which longitudinal vibratorymovements in` opposite directions occur duringV running of the motor,parallel guide members along which said drill motor is movable, meansfor supporting said guide members for rectilinear adjustment in adirection longitudinally of said drill motor and for angular adjustmentabout an axis parallel to and spaced from said guide members, saidsupporting means including spacing members attached to the ends of saidguide members and a tubular shaped member secured at its ends inopenings in said spacing members and having its axis in the samestraight line with the axis about which said guide members are angularlyadjusted, and means controlled by said longitudinal vibratory movementsof said drill motor for effecting feed of the motor along said guidemembers, said feed effecting means comprising rotary elements supportedat the outer sides of said spacing members for rotation about transverseaxes, adjustable means for controlling the direction of rotation of oneof said rotary elements, and a flexible control element connected tosaid drill motor and passing around said rotary elements and throughsaid tubular shaped member.

5. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drilling motor foractuating a drill steel, an adjustable guiding and mounting structurefor said motor comprising a pair of parallel guide rods along which saidmotor is slidably guided, a tubular member parallel to and substantiallycoextensive with said guide rods, end members secured to the ends ofsaid tubular member and held in fixed spaced relation by said guide rodsand a sleeve-like support for slidably receiving and supporting saidtubular member, and means for effecting feed of said motor along saidguide rods including a flexible element secured to said motor and guidedon said end members, said end members having rotary elements mountedthereon for guidingy said flexible element and said flexible elementextending longitudinally between said guide rods and passing around saidrotary elements and through said tubular member.

6. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drilling motor foractuating a drill steel, an adjustable guiding and mounting structurefor said motor comprising a pair of parallel guide rods along which saidmotor is slidably guided, a tubular member parallel to and substantiallycoextensive with said guide rods, end members secured to the ends ofsaid tubular member and held in xed spaced relation by said guide rodsand a sleevelike support for slidably receiving and supporting saidtubular member, and means for effecting feed of said motor along saidguide rods including a flexible element secured to said motor and guidedon said end members, said ilexible element extending longitudinallybetween said guide rods and having a portion extending longitudinallythrough said tubular member.

7. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor foractuating a drill steel, guide members along which said drill motor isrnovable, means for supporting said guide members for adjustment aboutan axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of said drillmotor, and means for feeding said motor along said guide members, saidfeeding means including a flexible control element connected to saiddrill motor and guided for circulation with a portion of its lengthlying in the axis about which said guide members are adjustable.

8. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill motor foractuating a drill steel, guide rods along which said drill motor ismovable, means for adjustably supporting said guide rods including atubular shaped member arranged between said guide rods and having itsaxis spaced equally at all points along its length from a planeincluding the axes of said guide rods, and means for feeding said motoralong said guide rods including a flexible control element connected tosaid motor, rotary guide members for said control element journaled ontransverse axes extending parallel to the plane including the axes ofsaid guide members and located at the opposite ends of said tubularshaped member, said control element extending in opposite directionsfrom said motor around said rotary guide members and through saidtubular shaped member.

9. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,supporting and guiding means for said drill steel actuator including anelongated tubular member relative to which said actuator is movable in alongitudinal direction, means providing a guideway for said actuatorextending substantiallycoextensive with and parallel to said tubularmember and means for mounting said tubular member for pivotal movementabout its longitudinal axis whereby said actuator may be swung laterallyout of line with the drill hole, and means for effecting feed of saidactuator along said guideway relative to said tubular member including afeeding element having a portion thereof extending through said tubularmember and another portion extending alongside said tubular member.

10. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,guiding means providing a longitudinal guideway along which said ...w-Mv

drill steel actuator is movable, means for supporting said guiding meansfor pivotal adjustment about an axis parallel to and spaced from thelongitudinal axis of said actuator, and means for feeding said actuatoralong said guidewaj7 including a feeding element including a portionextending along said guide way and further having a portion thereofextending along the pivotal axis about which said guiding means isadjustable.

11. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,guiding means providing a longitudinal guideway along which said drillsteel actuator is movable, means for supporting said guiding meansincluding an. elongated tubular member arranged longitudinally inparallelism with said guideway but spaced from the latter, and means forfeeding said actuator along said guideway including a feeding elementoperatively connected to said actuator and having at least a portionthereof extending longitudinally through said tubular member.

12. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,guiding means providing a longitudinal guideway along whiclrJ said drillsteel actuator is movable, means for supporting said guiding means forangular adjustment about an axis parallel to and spaced from thelongitudinal axis of said actuator, and means for effecting feed of saidactuator along said guideway including a feeding element operativelyconnected to said actuator and having a portion of its length lying inthe axis about which said guiding means is angularly adjustable andanother portion of its length laterally offset from said first mentionedportion.

13. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,an adjustable mounting and guiding structure providing a longitudinalguideway along which saidV actuator is movable, a tubular memberparallel to and substantially coextensive with said guideway, a supporton which said tubular member is mounted for relative adjustment, andmeans for effecting feed of said actuator along said guideway includinga feeding element operatively connected to said actuator and extendinglongitudinally in parallelism with said guideway and through saidtubular member.

14. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,an adjustable mounting and guiding structure for said drill steelactuator comprising guiding means providing spaced parallel guidewaysalong which said actuator is guided, a tubular member parallel to andsubstantially coextensive with said guideways, a support on which saidtubular member is mounted for relative adjustment, and means foreffecting feed of said actuator along said guideways including a feedingelement operatively connected to said actuator and extendinglongitudinally between said guideways and having a portion extendinglongitudinally through said tubular member,

15. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,supporting and guiding means for said actuator including threelongitudinally extending parallel, spaced apart elements connectedtogether in rigid relation and arranged substantially ooextensively, twoof said elements providing a longitudinal guideway for said actuator andthe third being tubular and providing a support for said other two, andmeans for feeding said actuator along the guideway including a feedingelement operatively connected to said actuator and extendinglongitudinally between said guideway-providing elements with a portionthereof extending longitudinally through said tubular element.

16. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,supporting and guiding means for said drill steel actuator including anelongated tubular member relative to which said actuator is movable in alongitudinal direction, means providing a guideway for said actuatorextending substantially coextensive with and parallel to said tubularmember and means for mounting said tubular member for pivotal movementabout its longitudinal axis whereby said actuator may be swung laterallyout of line with the drill hole, and means for effecting feed of saidactuator along said guideway relative to said tubular member including afeeding element having at least a portion thereof extending through saidtubular member.

17. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a drill steel actuator,guiding means providing a longitudinal guideway along which said drillsteel actuator is movable, means for supporting said guiding means forpivotal adjustment about an axis parallel to and spaced from thelongitudinal axis of said actuator, and means for feeding said actuatoralong said guideway including a feeding element having at least aportion thereof extending along the pivotal axis about which saidguiding means is adjustable.

JOHN C. CURTIS. ELMER G. GARTIN.

